


Atlas: Castle In The Sky

by Half_Believing



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Inspired by Studio Ghibli, Laputa Castle In The Sky, first fan fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:22:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28403958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Half_Believing/pseuds/Half_Believing
Summary: Long ago the kingdom of Atlas refined dust into crystals to fuel their cities in the sky and act as conduits for their mystical abilities. The knowledge of the Atlesian people has now been lost to time, or so it seems. The search for answers will wrap many different lives into the conquest. One as an heiress, one to follow the legacy of her mother, one to save her sister and one to save her people.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Comments: 11
Kudos: 38





	1. Stark White Suits

**Chapter 1: Stark White Suits**

The world seemed so small in the airship cabin. The walls and furniture, beige and drab, melded into one indistinguishable room, save for the large oval window peering out into the night. Weiss, in a ragged white sundress, scuffed with grass and dirt stains huddled herself in the corner of the room, unable to stand the sight of her confines. This was not her home. There were no green pastures to roam and sing in. No fireplace to bask in and listen to the grandiose stories woven and given life by her Grandfather. This was her cage and sadly her fate. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes once more. She thought she had exhausted all the energy left to wallow in pity, but it seems that nothing would cease the rush of sorrow permeating within.

Weiss had never felt so alone. Not when her Grandfather passed, nor when her sister Winter, left to trade a life on the farm for that of the battlefield. At the very least she still held reminders of them in her possession. Held by a silver chain around her neck and resting upon her alabaster skin sat a small blue crystal, carved into a teardrop. The stone itself was none like she had ever seen. Etched upon its surface and faintly glowing with a white hue, was an intricately designed snowflake. In the darkness that shrouded the night, the crystal would often light up in the deepest blue, akin to that of the still waters of the lakes that peppered the valley she called home. Her Grandfather gifted this crystal to her expressing that it was an heirloom of their family, a physical manifestation of ‘home’. With it being so warm to the touch, she knew in this moment how fitting of a statement that was. As she held the crystal softly between her fingers, those nights by the fireplace felt like they were captured and breathed warmth into her aching heart.

Winter on the other hand, held little belief for such spiritual connections and superstitions. Rather, she had faith in what she could use to reinforce her strengths and compliment her weaknesses. Winter couldn’t depart without ensuring Weiss would be safe, even though a distant farm in a secluded valley is hardly a reasonable or likely site for a battlefield, especially in the more or less peaceful time the world had seemed to stay in. Regardless, as a manner of reassurance for the older sibling, Weiss was trained by her to fight, specifically to fence. In the early morning light that grazed the surrounding hills, they would train on the pastures, learning swift movements and patterns like a meticulously choreographed dance. Every angle, every step determined and meaningful, waiting for an opening to strike the weak point and end the fight as cleanly as possible. As a farewell to the younger girl, Winter gifted Weiss a rapier that would reinforce her strengths and compliment her weaknesses. A weapon as sharp as the most daring blade, light to the touch to ensure she never was slowed in a fight and enough tricks in its dust infused cylinders to perfectly expand upon the easily read movements of a fencer. Myrtenaster, a weapon made just for her with the love of a sister.

___________________________________________________________________________

She can still remember Winter’s departing moment. The heat from the fireplace danced across the stone interior and colourful embroidery of armoured knights in the snowfall that hung across the walls. The fire embedded itself deep beneath her skin, crawling through every inch of her being. However, it couldn’t mask how empty she felt knowing that she would now be alone. Winter held Weiss close in the warmest embrace she had ever received from her, as she spoke softly in her ear.

“Weiss…I-”, Winter breathed in slowly and tried once more to commit her feelings to words, something she had struggled with for eternity. But she would manage this time. For her sister. For Weiss.

“I have to leave now sister…Lord Ironwood has called for me and I must answer. All those mornings we spent training and seeing you strive time and time again, I have never been more proud of you."

She could here Weiss sniffle and tremble, trying to stifle the tears within her. Weiss didn’t want her to leave, she didn’t want to be alone. “I’m sorry dear sister, but I know you will be strong enough. I have seen it with my very own eyes how much you have grown. What I do now is- ”, she had to stop herself from hiding more facts from Weiss, she couldn’t run from the truth any longer. Winter knew Weiss would never be able to understand the whole truth, she was far too young, but hopefully a glance behind the curtain would satiate the guilt bubbling inside of the older sibling.

She breathed in, letting her thoughts settle before resuming once more. “What I do now is for both of us, someone very powerful has begun to make moves throughout Remnant and his actions have become concerning enough that Lord Ironwood has asked for my assistance, partly due to my…personal stake so to speak."

Weiss stared at her through drained eyes, unable to comprehend the enormity of the situation. Weiss had to say something, _anything_ to convince Winter to stay, but all that amounted to was a soft whimper and more tears being shed. Winter couldn’t stand the sight anymore and instead relinquished her hold on her sister and swiftly turned to face the door, opening it and taking a step outside the threshold.

Winter through trembling lips in barely a whisper, left with an omen of the future. “Weiss there may come a time where you will need to fight for your freedom, fight for who you are. Hopefully, what I do now ensures that such an event never comes to fruition, but if it does, I know that you with Myrtenaster will be ready."

Tears flowing endlessly down her cheeks, she turned her head with a warm smile to spare one last moment with Weiss. “You are stronger than you know my dear sister. Stronger than I’ll ever be."

Still, barely any words could be formed by Weiss. It was all too much. All too soon. The remainder of her courage was used then, grasping at the hem of her dress until her knuckles went white.

She spoke from deep within her the words that would always be engraved into her heart, “Winter…I – I love you, please be safe."

The sisters shared one final loving smile as Winter grabbed the briefcase by the door and departed, leaving Weiss by the fireplace alone.

Winter was more right then she would ever know. It wasn’t long after Winter’s departure that Weiss would have to take up her blade and defend her life and her home. The day the men in stark white suits came over the rolling hills on the edge of the horizon. She didn’t know who they were, but it was clear that they were not Winter’s men, nor anyone she recognised. She wasn’t willing to wait and find out. Weiss rushed towards her home, looking back towards the horizon to see the men briskly picking up their pace. They were after _her_.

She needed a weapon. She needed Myrtenaster. Within the walls of the farmhouse, Weiss prepared for the inevitable confrontation. She cycled the barrel of her revolver-rapier hybrid, loading the volatile dust into its multiple chambers. Her mind focused, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she repeated Winter’s teachings as a doctrine of combat. Weiss glanced at the elaborate tapestry that adorned her home. They held memories, a history, and a legacy. One that she would not let them, whoever they are, trample upon and tarnish. Weiss had never brandished a weapon upon another human being with the intention to harm, and if she was being honest, the reality of the situation terrified her. Yet, the prospect of war was at her doorstep and she would defend her home with her life, just like Winter and her Grandfather would have. A small farmhouse was no place for a fight - she would rather not give them the luxury of busting down the door and giving them the chance of catching her off guard. She would wait for them on the pastures.

In the middle of the field the fencer stood poised, Myrtenaster sheathed cleanly upon her belt. As the wide-brimmed hats of the men came into view over the hills, she drew her Rapier with a flourish, attuning the weight of the weapon with her stance – readied with speed and grace. Noticing her defensive stance, the men slowed their pace to a walk, caution evident in each step. The fencer smirked with an aura of innate smugness. She was a patient woman, she could wait (if it meant she could analyse the situation). There were four men cleanly dressed in suits: ties, vests, cufflinks and all. Clearly they were not expecting resistance. They stood towering slightly over her (although that’s not saying much considering that Weiss did not consider herself tall to begin with, a point of much contention and frustration with the girl). They were built in the way that hinted at some hand-to-hand experiences, yet nothing substantial. The holsters identifiable by the indentations protruding from underneath the sides of their blazers, showed that they were more comfortable firearms. Strangely, it was evident by how closely the jackets clung to them that the holsters were empty. To Weiss, their appearance, demeanour, and lack of weaponry did not add up. ‘ _Why would they come to a secluded valley like this, to **my** doorstep, if they didn’t expect at least some resistance? Fools’._

Once they were within a couple of metres of her, they halted their advance, arms clasped behind their backs, standing in a line. Save for one of them – the outlier taking a few steps forward. Still with her weapon poised to strike, Weiss on instinct took the same number of steps back.

The man cleared his throat and began to speak, in a speech that was monotone and clearly practised to ensure the perfect cadence to the message delivered. “We are here on behalf of the esteemed Jacques Schnee, CEO of Schnee Dust Company, under strict orders to retrieve you. Your presence is required immediately, and any act of violence is ill advised”.

The man sighed after the completion of his mental script, dropping his prior formalities.

“Please Miss, _we_ advise you to comply. Master Schnee is not a…patient man."

Weiss’ brow furrowed in confusion. This was the last thing she expected. Why on earth would the CEO of the SDC, the largest dust mining and distribution company in Remnant require _her_ presence? Despite being secluded to the countryside with only other farmers and animals as company, she still knew a fair amount of the current events in Remnant. She knew of the rumours surrounding the SDC’s extremely questionable sidestepping of ethical conduct through the loopholes in Faunus labour and its disconnection from ‘human’ rights. Weiss’ knowledge of the outside world was courtesy of the radio broadcasts that she infrequently tuned into (when she felt she needed some haze of noise to drown out the dead silence at home). The man took a couple of steps forward once more, breaking Weiss out of her mental stupor.

“Miss Schnee, we must leave _now_ ”, clearly an alarmingly nervous edge to his voice.

But the words he spoke captivated Weiss, everything else in the moment became nothing but static to her senses. _‘Schnee?’_ Clearly, they had the wrong girl. She was no Schnee and as far as Weiss knew, there had never been one in the valley.

“It seems you have come here for naught. I am no Schnee. In fact, you could do entire laps of the valley until your suits turned brown from the dirt you trudged through, enter every property, every farmhouse and you would still come up empty handed. I do not care for your ‘Master’ Schnee and have no correlation with him whatsoever. I am asking – no – _demanding_ you leave my property this instant or I will defend my home."

The man motioned to straighten his tie despite it being already fixed correctly in place.

“I assure you, we are not mistaken”, the rest of the men move forward to be in line with him grasping brass knuckles hidden in their pockets, “-and you have wasted enough of our time. Master Schnee will not be pleased. It seems we will have to damage his property”.

Not giving them the chance to surround her, Weiss broke into a dash, heading directly for the goon on the far left. Before he could react, the fencer pierced the side of his arm as he yowled in pain. In a drastic attempt to stop her movements he tried to grab for any tangible part of her but came up short, as she spun behind him slashing the back of his knee and bringing the hilt of Myrtenaster crashing down on the side of his temple. The three remaining men stood dumbfounded in shock. They barely registered her moving, let alone taking down one of their comrades already. _‘What kind of farm girl fights with a SWORD?!’_ Weiss used their stunned silence to reset her stance, giving them a hardened gaze that brought the blizzard brewing in her ice blue eyes into focus. One of them grunted in anger, determined to take the fencer on headfirst, not buying the fact that one girl could possibly cause so much trouble. Weiss waited till he lunged at her, sidestepping in a low dodge and motioning the rapier to cut cleanly on the underside of his forearm. A second man sprung to his aid attempting to get a clean strike on her side while she was distracted. Weiss couldn’t help but smirk. ‘ _Why waste energy taking out both when they can do it for you?’_ Resetting her stance once again, the fence took a single quick step back, swaying her head back to evade his attack, giving her a ripe opportunity to stab the back of his ankle during the midst of his lunge. With his leg seizing up he couldn’t stop his momentum and crashed directly into his partner sending them both toppling into the dirt. Not waiting to see if they would get up Weiss decided it was time to truly show the extent of her weapon. She spun the barrel of Myrtenaster, hearing the loud click of the chamber as ice dust travelled up the blade, following the motion with her fingers. The fencer pierced the sword into the ground sending a wave of ice to envelop the duo of goons tangled on top of each other into icy shackles (If she was being honest, it still amazed her that something so lightweight could contain and harness the destructive capabilities of dust). The last man knew he was out matched but still raised his fists in a crude boxer’s stance, truly out of options other than to take her on, on his own.

“ENOUGH!”

A deep commanding voice boomed across the pastures stopping Weiss in her tracks, yet she still kept her eyes trained on the current threat, not letting any movements go unnoticed. The thug with terror in his eyes suddenly dropped his arms and fell to one knee, bowing his head in shame. Over the hill stood a man in a three-piece suit, similar to that of the henchman, yet much more distinguishable by the light blue trimming accentuating the collar of his double-breasted coat. He was not alone. Besides him stood a trio of men, all uniform in appearance. Yet strangely one of them was dragging a small boy by the collar along the ground, the mop of his hair obscuring his appearance. He at least looked oddly familiar even from a distance. As they came closer to the fencer, the boy came more into focus. Realisation struck Weiss, as her eyes widened in horror. The reality of what transpired became clear. _‘No no no! What did they do to Oscar?!’_

Jacques showed no remorse and instead opted to look in disgust at the boy as he laid on the grass; beaten, bloody and unresponsive. Jacques aimed his cold gaze forward to address the girl.

“We had a deal with your friend here, although it took some…‘convincing’… to get him to tell us where you were. Seemingly the longer it took us to find you, the more time we would spend with him.”

“Y-Y-You’re a **MONSTER**!”

Weiss prepared to lunge at him, ready to drive Myrtenaster into his side. Jacques however was unfazed, seemingly indifferent to the ferocity and anger of the girl, instead commanding with one raised hand for his henchman to pull a knife and rest it against Oscar’s throat.

“Now now Weiss my dear girl, you wouldn’t want the death of your neighbouring commoner upon your hands. I think it’s time you came to your senses.”

That’s it, there was no way out. Jacques had won. Weiss, left with no other choice sheathed her Rapier, spitting the next words with a venomous bite.

“What do _you_ want?”

Jacques smiled, pleased that negotiations had gone so well. Truly he was a man that demanded respect, unlike the filth around him.

“Well, my dear, all I want is my daughter back besides me. You have a role to fill, one that can only be done by you. You will become the heiress to _our_ people, Weiss Atlasia Schnee.”

_‘Our people?’_ That confused Weiss even further. Jacques came closer to Weiss, cupping the underside of her jaw and pivoting her head as if inspecting her as one would a prized possession.

“Ahh yes, the white alabaster hair, the ice blue eyes, you truly are the only one fit to be my heir.”

He tightened his grip, alarm shooting up Weiss’ spine at the uncomfortable contact.

“However, our people have a tradition that I intend to carry on”.

With his free hand, Jacques gripped the hilt of Myrtenaster and drew it from the heiress’ belt.

“We wear the marks of our failure upon our face. As a reminder and as a punishment."

In one swift motion he sliced across Weiss’ eye as she fell to the ground clutching the wound and screaming in pain. Her tears felt like a hot iron against the fresh wound. Wanting his message to be clear he lowered himself to whisper in the girl’s ear, a motion so alien from that of when Winter would speak softly to Weiss to comfort her.

“Your life is mine. I want you to remember that every time you look in the mirror and see the consequences of your insolence. If you continue to disobey me, I will not hesitate to break you. You are a means to an end, and it is inconsequential of what state you are in to serve your purpose. Just as it was once like for your mother.”

Not bothering to see the girl’s reaction he beckoned the men to pick her up.

“Leave the boy, he is no longer necessary. We leave for the Airship now."

___________________________________________________________________________

And so Weiss found herself alone and imprisoned upon a vessel that would remain her cage. An heiress to a life that was no longer garnered by her own will. A marionette acted on by a monster. She moved to peer out the window with the one eye left unbandaged. At least she had the freedom to see world she had lost. To imagine the fields of home under the night sky. How beautiful the sky was tonight, the stars shimmering across the pitch-black canvas peppered by only a few small clouds. Or it would be if a small mechanical Flyer hadn’t caught her attention as it appeared out of the cloud, steering closer to the side of the Airship. Suddenly a gunshot rang across the entirety of the ship, loud enough to shock the heiress. Outside the window the Flyer came close enough for Weiss to see the intricate details littering the contraption. Upon its side a symbol was painted. Three diagonal claw marks and the skull of a Faunus.

_Sky Pirates._


	2. The Belladonna Gang

**Chapter 2: The Belladonna Gang**

Deep within the fragments of clouds that littered the sky harboured a small Airship, waiting patiently for its prey to tear across the night. Upon its walkway stood its Captain, her amber eyes being attuned to the dark, thanks to her Faunus heritage. Despite the innate advantage of her eyesight, she still peered through the binoculars, tapping her nails mindlessly upon the metal railing. If her intel was right, the Cruise Airship would be within range to be quickly intercepted within the next thirty minutes. She could wait out here until then. Thirty minutes in the heated interior of the Airship would be relaxing, but knowing her crew mates, they wouldn’t spot their target until they had to play a little bit of catch up rather than being able to move immediately to the boarding phase of their plan. She trusted her crew, but Blake knew that out of everyone, she alone would be able to spot it first. The nightly winds would chill most people to the bone, but after so many years aboard her ship, The Gambol Shroud, it simply didn’t faze her (although the white leather jacket and skin-tight jumpsuit she wore underneath did more than enough to keep her warm without restricting her movement).

To her side the door to the bridge burst open, revealing a man dressed in the common swashbuckling attire, complete with red swept har and a dark red military jacket hanging lazily from his shoulders. He would be the poster boy of the typical Sky Pirate with roguish charm that would make the land-dwelling girls swoon, if he wasn’t currently fumbling a stack of papers in an attempt to ensure that they would not be ripped from his hands by the breeze and lost to the night sky. Once he had a strong enough grip on the documents he saluted and addressed his Captain.

“Captain Blake, I have important information about our target”.

Blake couldn’t help but roll her eyes in amusement. “Scarlet, knock it off with the salute will you? I may be your Captain but that’s really for traditions sake”.

Scarlet eyes sparkled with mischief intent as he attempted to stifle a laugh. “We are literally named The Belladonna Gang, named after the one and only Blake Belladonna. Need I remind you?”

“Well I wasn’t just going to leave it as The White Fang, especially after Adam soured and tarnished everything my father built that name to stand for. Ughhh, even speaking that man’s name brings bile up to my throat.” She even feigned some spewing motions to truly bring her point home of how vile of a man Adam was. It was none the less amusing to Scarlet.

Clearing her throat, Blake pushed onto more pressing matters. “So, what is this information you’ve gathered?”

“Ahh yes, give me a sec.”

He flicked through the papers he was holding, pausing once he found the right one and handing it to Blake. “It seems that they found what they were looking for, albeit they were quite delayed in their efforts.”

Scarlett shrugged. “Not sure what kind of trouble Jacques Schnee of all people would run into that would delay him in a small farmers valley, considering how punctual he is.”

Upon the paper written in what was supposedly Scarlet’s poor excuse for handwriting was the Morse code intercepted on the radio, as well as the following translation.

**.- ... ... . - .-. . - .-. .. . ...- . -..**

**ASSET RETRIEVED**

That’s all the confirmation she needed. He had the crystal and soon it would be hers. She never thought such a trivial thing, like a small stone crystal, would hold such immense power and be the key to saving the Faunus. _Her_ people. She didn’t even want to imagine what kind of horrifying events would unfold if Jacques managed to harness its power. Evidently, he already knew at least some of what that crystal entailed, considering the great lengths he went through to uncover its whereabouts. But the question remained; Why on earth would it be in a secluded farmers valley?

One of the few pure and refined dust crystals in existence. If the impure and crudely carved dust _shards_ mined from the Earth could fuel their Airships and give them limited power over the elements, what impossibilities could become possible with one sculpted and refined _crystal_? The meticulous craftsmanship and refining technique necessary to even stabilize such a concentrated amount of energy was thought to not even exist. Yet after months of intercepting classified SDC messages proof of one surfaced, straight from the mouth (or more accurately, the tapping) of Jacques Schnee himself.

Blake handed the papers back to her confidant. “Gather the crew, with their delay in retrieving the crystal we’ve got around 40 min before first contact. I want our flyers fuelled and armed with evasive equipment. It’s a Cruise Airship so there should be minimal machinegun nests, all we have to worry about is Jacques personal guard aboard the ship.”

With a straight back and his head held high, Scarlet stood in a resolute salute and shouted, “AYE AYE CAPTAIN!”

“Ugggh…please stop.”

___________________________________________________________________________

The docking bay hummed with life as the dragonfly-like wings of the Flyers fluttered rapidly, engines roaring and ready for lift off. Each Flyer could hold two people and with the anticipation of a quick snatch and grab job, only two of the machinations would be necessary. They still needed one man on the Gambol Shroud in case things got rough (which with their track record, was all the time).

Hanging upside down leveraging his weight by wrapping his tail around the metal bars swayed Sun, his shirt oddly buttoned up. Blake smiled _, ‘Must be a cold night if Sun went through the trouble of not showing off his abs at every opportunity.’_ His name was truly fitting of his character. Blake could recount the numerous times in which the sheer warmth of his cheery presence was a refuge in the dark recesses of her past. Especially considering the fact that it was Sun who supported her through those troubled times when she was shackled to The White Fang. Besides him, wearing his signature red leather jacket was Neptune, leaning against the crate. The man didn’t even notice Blake enter, far more distracted with using the reflection of his goggles to ensure his hair was perfect, slicked and spiked in just the right places. Even going as far to feel enamoured by himself, sending a wink to his own reflection. In the corner stood Sage, quiet and calm as always. He was the glue that held the crew together. His calm demeanour never ceased, even in the direst straits. He nudged Neptune, hinting that the time to check himself out was over.

With everyone present, she motioned her crew to surround the crude workshop table that stood in armoury of the bay. Upon it rest the schematics of the Cruise Airship, the Silver Splendour. Blake raised her voice and shouted over the endless humming of the wings, “Alright everyone! The job is simple, snatch and grab with no casualties.” Outlining the pathway through the Airship with her finger, she began to explain the intricacies of each step. Nothing would be left out. Nothing left to chance.

“First we enter through the latch located on the crow’s nest on top of the ship. There will definitely be a scout stationed there, but if we use the clouds as cover, we should be able to close the distance before he radios in. The latch will take us to closed compartment where we can prepare to enter the dining hall. Considering the size of the ship, expect at least 50 civilians. At this point Sage and I will begin hold them hostage and feign negotiations with the captain.

At the thought of the treasures held by such esteemed guessed, Blake’s eyes shone with glee. “Remember, the riches of the civilians are not the end goal but…if anything catches your eye grab it, we could sell it later.” _‘We are Sky Pirates after all and fuelling an Airship as well as feeding crew was not an expense to scoff at.’_

Neptune raised his hand confusion placed on his face. The Captain gave a swift nod, permission granted. “Ummm, what about Jacques men, won’t they be at the dining hall? I mean they are passengers and knowing Jacques he’ll probably order them to open fire on us, regardless if there are any civilians in the midst of it all.”

Blake smiled with sincere pride. This is why she never doubted her crew. Despite how they formed to look like a run of mill ragtag group, they all had experience and with experience came the foresight to think of contingencies upon contingencies. Every variable accounted for. “Normally you would be correct, but for once Jacques is trying to be discreet and having his men all about the Airship would draw unnecessary attention.” ‘ _Ahh Jacques, the one man on this planet who would think discreet meant an extremely lavish Cruise Airship built for hospitality and comfort, albeit the alternative of a military class freighter would be worse. Much worse.’_

Neptune’s question acted as a fantastic point to move onto the next phase of the plan. “Most likely the few men he has with him will be stationed within the loading dock and cabins, particularly around his room. This is where you and Sun come in.”

With a nod and a fist bump the duo listened intently. “Whilst Sage and I keep the common folk ‘entertained’, you’ll have the honour of dealing with the henchman and our special guest of the night. Knowing Jacques, the crystal will be kept either in his cabin or on his person. Once you have it, you’ll meet up with us back in the dining hall and we’ll leave through the way we came. If we run into more trouble than we bargained for, Scarlet will dock our ship to theirs with our harpoon cannons and we’ll use the docking bay to run to the Gambol Shroud. Everything clear?”

Resolute nods and smiles filled the bay. Confidence in the plan. Confidence in their Captain. Sun raised his arms shouting over the machinery. “Aww yeahhhhhhh! Let’s get this show on the road!!!”

With everything accounted for, Blake gave the final order. “When I signal that our mark is in view. Mount up.”

___________________________________________________________________________

The gunshot kickstarted a rabble of violent screams loud enough to travel to Weiss’ room, breaking her from her trance. In a second the lock of her door turned and was thrown open by Jacques. His face and neck glistened with sweat, soaking the entirety of the collar as he tried in futility to ease the coming heat by pulling at the knot in his tie. Within his hand he held a large briefcase. Weiss failed to hide a smile from sweltering suit of a man.

She gasped, “Oh _nooo!_ Things not going to plan? Is this a common occurrence for the SDC? It’s a wonder that they control anything.”

The sarcasm was not entertaining in the least to Jacques as he scowled at the girl. “These confounded rabid animals are nothing but mosquitoes.”

He moved to pin Weiss against the wall, hatred bursting within his eyes, “and you should do well not to anger me _girl_.”

With his free hand he pressed down slowly upon her bandaged eye increasing the pressure at an agonizing pace. Weiss bit down on her lip _hard_ , not wanting to give him the satisfaction of the pain it brought. He pushed her to the ground not caring how she stumbled, more focused on his suit, patting it down as if it were infected.

“No matter…all that vermin require is an exterminator and I happen to know one in the military who is more than eager to assist me.”

Opening the briefcase revealed a telegraph key for Morse code. Jacques sat down at the corner desk and began to input a code to the mysterious recipient. The door was left wide open and Jacques was so fixated on sending his distress signal that all eyes were off Weiss _. ‘This is my chance!’_ She rose slowly from the ground steadying herself to not make a sound as Jacques tapped away.

**Tap tap tap tap tap tap…**

She drew closer to him, grabbing an ornate porcelain lamp off the desk.

**Tap tap tap tap tap tap…**

She stood behind him poised. Arms raised. Ready.

**Tap tap tap tap tap tap…**

With a swift motion Weiss brought the lamp crashing down upon his skull, slamming his head against the desk and leaving him collapsed upon the ground. A sickening gash stained the back of his head, painting the beige carpet red. The wound wouldn’t kill him. The damage however would leave a scar. ‘ _I wear mine upon my face, whilst yours decorates the back of your head. A reminder of the fool that you are thinking that everyone will bow down to you.’_ The adrenaline left her body as her mind began to scream. _Run_. Weiss bolted out the door. She needed to get to Jacques room. She needed Myrtenaster.

“Where are you going girly?”

To her right in the corridor stood two of Jacques men, brass knuckles clenched in fists.

“Master Schnee said to do whatever necessary to keep you obedient.”

Suddenly two gun shots rang out, tearing through the shoulders of both men. To her left was an armed blonde and blue haired duo, the blonde one swishing his tail and beaming with a smile.

“No need to thank us miss!” He bumped shoulders with the man text to him, “Ain’t that right Nep?”

The blue haired man paid no mind to his friend and instead stared dumbly at Weiss. ‘ _Is he checking me out?’_

“Dude dude dude. Look at her chest!” He yelled.

Weiss was furious and blushing. “Hey! Quit staring you scoundrel!”

The monkey Faunus had to agree, he had _some_ class. “Yeah dude, now’s not the time for that”, he berated his friend.

“There isn’t a time for that, on any day, on any year you fools!” Weiss replied pinching the bridge of her nose, already tired of these two.

Neptune groaned, the one time his flirty impression didn’t work in his favour. “No dude, she has the crystal. It’s not with Jacques, it’s with her!”

 _Uh oh._ Weiss broke into a sprint and pushed passed the Jacques’ fallen henchman.

“Hey! Come back we need that crystal!”

Weiss ran into Jacques room and locked the door. It wasn’t long before they started banging at the door attempting to bring it down, the lock reeling at the force. Lying on the desk was Myrtenaster, the blood from her wound inflicted by Jacques still stained the tip of the blade. Thankfully, it was still loaded with dust. Spinning the chamber, the fencer aimed the blade at the door and froze it solid. ‘ _That should hold them.’_ Weiss went to the oval window of the cabin, releasing the hatch. It was the only exit. The wind bellowed inside, whipping the curtains into a frenzy. Peering out into the night, she found her path to freedom. Protruding from the Airship underneath the window was a metal scaffolding that stretched across the length of the ship, carving a pathway into the adjacent rooms’ windowsills. ‘ _I could climb out and into another room and lose them! Maybe steal one of their flyers if I can_.’ The heiress looked down the side of the ship. One slip and the fall would be…messy. She steeled herself, this was her only chance at freedom. From Jacques. From Sky Pirates. Weiss was out of options. She climbed outside the window perching her feet upon the metal bar outside and gripped the side of the ship for dear life. She would make it, one step at a time.

___________________________________________________________________________

Outside in the corridor stood the Sky Pirate duo, perplexed by the frozen door.

Neptune sought the input of his comrade, “So what now? We can’t break it down anymore.”

The gears in Sun’s head was firing on all cylinders. He had the master plan to solve their predicament deep within his mind, ready to be unveiled, “Duhh blow it up.” Your gun shoots electric charges, just shoot the ice.”

“Dude she’s in that room.”

“Yeah, that’s why we have to get it open.”

“Exactly, we could hurt her. I don’t want that on my conscience.”

“Pfff she’ll be fine, it’s not like she’s gonna stand next to the door. At worst she’ll bump into a wall. We don’t have any choice left, Blake’s expecting us. Dude, we are out of time.”

With no options left Neptune charged his rifle. “Aight step back Sun, we’re busting it down with style.”

___________________________________________________________________________

As Weiss began to step forward on the railing a large explosion sounded from inside the room. With the window open the force from the blast launched Weiss off the scaffold and into the night sky. A white figure upon the blackness. With a scream she fell into the clouds below. Within the clouds an ice blue light gleamed sending a beam piercing into the stars. And then.

Silence.


	3. Patch

**Chapter 3: Patch**

With a gasp she rose, slick with sweat from her restless sleep. Ruby rubbed her eyes and shook the red-tipped hair from her face. ‘ _Uggh, another nightmare.’_ It was always the same events that played again and again. Her mother, Summer, leaving. A silent promise to return, and the pain it brought knowing that promise was not kept. She would shout and rage in the dream, a screaming match with a visage of her mother. Then. Lightning. A part of her would always be furious that her mother chose ambition over her family, but then again, it was the fond memories Ruby had with Summer that made the young woman cherish the bond they had, propelling her to follow in her mother’s footsteps and make things right. No more lies to squander Summer’s memory. She still remembers standing at the hall of the museum, clutching the smooth fabric of her mother’s black dress as she addressed the officials about her findings. About Atlas, the mystical castle in the sky and the one image she managed to capture that showed part of the city wrapped in a maelstrom of clouds and thunder. And yet such evident was met with disbelief and hatred, far more akin to that of envy and jealously rather than scientific acknowledgement. The words they spoke beneath their breaths was easily picked up by the young wolf Faunus girl, the harsh whispers seeping in from all directions.

“Lying dog.” “That _bitch_ should know when to rollover.” 

“She lies through jagged teeth.” “Should’ve stayed in the mines.” “Dog.” “Mutt.” 

“That picture ain’t worth no words. Nothing.” “Fraud.”

Ruby bared her teeth and growled. _‘How dare they? They didn’t know her or what she went through to find Atlas.’_

Before the rabble could spot the growing anger of the child, Summer bent down wearing a reassuring smile and ruffled Ruby’s hair speaking softly to her. “Don’t worry my little rosebud. These people, they don’t understand, they only know things by face value and…”, She paused for a moment struggling to find the right word for the little girl, “…misunderstandings. That’s all it is.”

Summer rose and addressed them once more, “Good people of Vale Archaeology and Remnant History. To ensure my claims are genuine, I will journey once more to Atlas and return with evidence that will be physical, magnificent, and indisputable.”

She smiled bright and warm, silver eyes shining in determination, “I will bring home a manifestation of their technology.”

___________________________________________________________________________

The last promise of Summer Rose and the only one she did not keep. At least the crimsonette had her family. She knew her father, Taiyang and sister, Yang, would always be there to help her. Especially Yang. Despite only being half-sisters, the blonde brawler was extremely protective of her friends and family, aggressively so. No one would cross her unless they wanted to end up with a broken nose. And much to the anger of Yang, her little-sister Ruby was one to be discriminated against by birth for she, like her mother, was of Faunus descent and with that came the wolf like ears and the immediate distaste of many. It was hard enough dealing those around her calling her mother a liar, but on top of that came scrutiny placed on her simply because she was born different. Even in the mostly diverse mining town of Patch, the large Faunus population that lived here to work in the SDC mines did not interact much with the humans, out of fear and out of necessity.

It certainly didn’t help that all the foremen of the mines were human, making the distinction between the hierarchy plain for all to see. Ruby herself struggled to find a job to support her dreams and was forced to work in the mines. Luckily, her ever protective sister, being completely human, managed to land a job as a foreman in the mine that Ruby worked in. Ruby got up from her bed with a loud yawn (more like howl) ruffling her choppy hair and large ears as she made her way to her workbench. Last week’s earnings were still piled neatly on her desk, she was far too tired after working a late shift to count it and add it to the rest of her savings. Every Lien earned was one step closer to her dream, to the aspirations that were plagued with mockery and lies. She will prove them wrong. Moving the Lien into her makeshift stash in a locked draw, cleared the way for the current centrepiece of her efforts, a diagram that made only a fraction of her dream project, a Biplane. Etched in the corner of the latest diagram, like all the preceding designs, was her signature and the title of the machination, Crescent Rose. Crescent Rose would be her ticket out of Patch and the vessel for her journey to Atlas, to finally prove that her mother was no liar. If her calculations were correct, she nearly had enough, estimating to reach her goal in a couple months around the time the young wolf would turn 19 in October this year. Looking at the ornate clock mounted above her workbench, the hands pointed out to her that it was well past noon. Sunlight was quickly burning down and with that would come her next shift in the mines. The wolf girl groaned knowing she didn’t have much time to work on Crescent Rose today, let alone the constant grumbling in her stomach begging her to eat. Heading to the small sector of her workshop aptly labelled the kitchen, (it was more or less just a small fridge, stovetop, counter and kettle clumped together) the ravenous woman searched for anything to eat. On the countertop was a small paper bag which looked to be filled to the brim with unknown curiosities. Amazing smelling curiosities. Ruby practically tore the bag in half _. ‘Nice, cookies!! Nah I shouldn’t have those for lunch, that’s not gonna keep me going, I’ll keep it for my shift. Oooooooh are those strawberries?! Yesssss. And a ham and cheese sandwich? I definitely have a guardian angel watching me!’_ Shifting through the scraps of bag she found a note, written in haste but incredibly neat all the same.

‘Hi rosebud, I know you had a late night and _also_ knowing you, you’re tearing apart your workshop to satisfy your ridiculous appetite. Don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about, I married your mum, and her appetite was double yours. So eat up! And don’t be late for work! Yang can only save your scruffy head so many times. Love Dad.’

Ruby hugged the piece of paper tightly against her chest. _‘Thanks Dad!’_ Looking at the clock and back at her food the crimsonette began to formulate her next couple hours before work. _‘Alright! Eat then Crescent Rose! Or should I work on Crescent Rose then eat?’_ Like lighting a thought struck her, her hidden genius came to light. _‘No wait. Eat and Crescent Rose. Aw yeah Ruby Rose, efficiently…um…efficient!”_

___________________________________________________________________________

Ruby sat back on chair and stretched, grabbing the last strawberry, and chomping right before hitting the stem. Her neck ached from hunching over her diagrams. Bringing herself to twist her neck and shoulder blades she heard a large crack that reverberated across her entire body. _‘Ahhhh much better!’_ Looking outside the window, the sun was long gone, bringing forth the night and its legion of stars. It was so peaceful, almost tranquil as if all her worries and responsibilities could vanish in the blackness. Looking towards the clock, the hands foretold her imminent doom.

Jumping from her chair she screamed, “Aw crap! I’m late for woooork!”

The wolf girl sped around the workshop like petals in a hurricane, opening drawers and cupboards. Struggling with her red overalls. Putting shoes on. Tripping with one shoe on. Leaving the house but forgetting her hardhat. Grabbing her hardhat and remembering her cookies. Sure enough, she was racing down the path towards the mines in her work attire, a bag of cookies in hand and one held for dear life between her teeth. ‘ _Yang’s gonna kill me!!!!!!!!!!’_

___________________________________________________________________________

The cool rock of the mine entrance did nothing to stifle the heat radiating from the steam pipes, carrying heat and light into the deep tunnels burrowed beneath the earth. Ruby was absolutely melting in her overalls as her grip on the valve faltered, calloused hands becoming slick with sweat. The fatigued girl’s hands slipped, making her lose her balance. Her face was about to be destined for the boiling heat of the metal pipe, that was until a metal arm grabbed her around the waist and heaved her back. Ruby looked back smiling at her saviour. Yang always had her back. The tall woman’s blonde mane (her sacred treasure) was tied up by a purple bandanna. The overalls she wore differed from Ruby’s, sporting a vibrant yellow with the sleeves of her shirt underneath being rolled up. She would always relish the opportunity to show her physique. For pride and as a warning. The fiery blonde smiled back at her little sister.

“Yo Rubes I know the pipe’s hot and all, but I didn’t think it was your type. And trying to kiss it on the job? Talk about too many PDAs.”

Immediately the wolf sighed. _‘Great it’s time for jokes **again**.’_ Yang’s smile grew tenfold.

“Ahh don’t deny it! That was a good one!”

Ruby chuckled lightly and waved Yang off, opting to sit down and rest on a nearby stool as she used her sleeves to wipe the layers of sweat that flooded her face.

She spoke through laboured breaths, “Yang, I think I just need to take a break for a bit, I think I used up _waaaaaay_ too much energy working on Crescent Rose today.”

Looking at her worn out sister Yang had to agree, “Yeah sis no worries. How about we take a break? The miners should be down there for another half-hour. I’ll hold down the fort and you can go buy us a bite to eat. Jaune and Pyrrha’s should still be open, they always stay open for all the miners workin’ late shifts.”

Ruby’s ears perked right up at the prospect of food. _‘Pyrrha’s and Jaune’s cooking? Yessssssssssss’_. She snapped out of hungry daze just in time to stop herself from drooling.

The hunger struck girl burst from the stool and yelled, “Best. Plan. Ever!”

With Ruby zooming off Yang could hear her shouted words become fainter, quicker and more incomprehensible. “Yep yep! Ah it’s gonna be so good and tasty! I wonder what they have tonight? Oooh Maybe bacon and eggs? Sausages? Stew? I’mgonnagraboneofeverything-andeverythinginone!!!!!!!!………...”

___________________________________________________________________________

Ruby finally managed to be at the front of the line of _Miló & Mors_, the delectable scent of freshly cooked meals straight off the grill married with a variety exotic blends of coffee. Everything a miner would need to be invigorated and awake for the long night shifts ahead. She entered the delicious domain, passing over and wiping her feet on the door mat embroidered in cursive with the message, ‘Hello Again!’ As if on que the cheerier of the duo of the restaurant owners peeked her head out of the kitchen to greet the next customer, her vibrant red hair and traditional golden circlet of her homeland shining in the mellow light of the dining area.

“Hello Again! Oh it’s you Ruby! Working late again tonight with Yang?”

“Hi Pyrrha! Yeah, we’re nearly done for the night though, just manning the pipes until Tukson’s crew underground is ready to have the lift pulled back up.” The wolf girl’s ears dropped as she feigned her whimpering, “Soooooooooooo hungry though….”

Pyrrha giggled and smiled at the girl’s antics, “Don’t worry Ruby, we’ll get you back into fighting form! I’ll even get Jaune to add a couple more sausages to your plate okay?” Pyrrha moved closer to whisper into Ruby’s ear, “A little gift from me to you for helping out Jaune. And if you ever need a little delicious care package to your workshop, give me a call okay?”

Ruby smile widened unable to contain herself from displaying how much she loved the redhead and her heart of gold, “Oh thank you thank you thank you!!”

Ruby sat the wooden stool dubbed the ‘Takeaway Throne’ twiddling her thumbs and scratching the back of her ear, trying not to focus on her stomach’s internal earthquake. Several minutes later, the chef himself in all his ragged blonde glory came out with Ruby’s order.

The man moved to hand the package off to Ruby, “Two chef’s specials for the one and only Ruby Rose!”

Ruby accepted in gratefully, “Thanks Jaune!”

“No worries! Say hi to your sister for me, we’ll all catch up soon. Maybe see a movie at the cinema!”

“You bet!”

Ruby bolted from the eatery smiling back and waving. “See ya, I better hurry. Yang’s probably starving as much as me!”

Without waiting for Jaune’s reply, the crimsonette sped down the pathway back to the mines.

___________________________________________________________________________

Making her way through the tall grass hills a distinct ice blue glow caught Ruby’s eye, brighter than all the starlight, making itself known to the night. _‘Is that a shooting star? No, it’s too slow to be one, but it’s so bright!’_ The unknown shine was slowly descending, clearly on a pathway to the mine. And so Ruby ran even faster, eager to understand the phenomenon.

Moving closer, the light began to dim, revealing the figure of a girl dressed in white, undisturbed in her slumber and following a trail of radiant glyphs downwards. The glyphs were like giant snowflakes glowing and shimmering, with particles flaking off them and dissolving into the air. A pinpoint of frost amidst the summer night. The girl seemed destined for the gaping hole in the ground that led down into miles of tunnels woven into the heart of the earth. Ruby hurried to the scaffolding system set in place in the middle of the hole, determined to intersect the girl before her descension into the pit. Up ladders and across walkways she tiptoed across the worn machinery, standing at an edge of a railing directly under the trail of glyphs. With her arms held out the wolf girl stood ready to catch the mysterious woman in her arms. The girl slowly descended into Ruby’s arms, allowing her a closer look at the ethereal vision of light. Her face was calm, tranquil despite the unusual circumstances, yet her pristine appearance was contrasted by the bandage over her eye, dry blood upon the wrapping being the only distinction of colour on a pure white canvas. Her hair floated with a will of its own, like snowfall at the peak of winter. _‘She’s beautiful…when I thought that there was a Guardian Angel watching me, I wasn’t being serious, but after tonight Angels might really do exist…’_ Mesmerised by the sight Ruby barely registered the ice blue shine fading, as the crystal resting upon her chest slowly began to dim, shutting away the light of the heavens from mortal eyes. And without the otherworldly presence reality soon followed, with the weight of the woman making itself apparent. Ruby’s arms _strained_ to hold as she dangled over the railing and directly above the hole. _‘Ahhhhhhhh sooo heavy!!! Don’t drop her don’t drop her don’t drop her! C’mon Ruby put your back into it! Splat equals bad, splat equals bad! I might get struck by lightning if I dropped an Angel!!’_ With all her might she managed to lift the girl over the railing and lie her down on the walkway.

Ruby groaned and stretched her aching back. “Jeez! For someone who was floating down so peacefully you are _really_ heavy!”

Alas the girl remained in a deep slumber and was in no state to respond, any answers would have to wait. Before she could get a closer look at the girl, a yell broke out from the mine entrance.

“RUUUUBY!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE??!! THE PIPERS ARE IN SHAMBLES I NEED YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW, YOU GOTTA MAN THE LIFT FOR TUKSON BEFORE EVERYTHING OVERHEATS!”

Ruby responded immediately. “YANG THERE’S A GIRL HERE I DON”T KNOW WHERE SHE-“

Cutting her off Yang refused to let the conversation get side-tracked. “YOU CAN DAYDREAM ABOUT GIRLS LATER! RIGHT NOW, I NEED YOUR HELP!”

The crimsonette quickly grabbed a lose tarp as a blanket for the Angel placing it over her and wrapping it underneath, before climbing down to help her sister.

As she worked on the lift Ruby looked back up at the white-clad girl, curiosity dancing in her mind. Tonight, an Angel had fallen on Patch and with it a myriad of questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was meant to get this out a bit earlier but last week was all over the joint. Thank you for all the comments, its great hearing everyone's thoughts on the story so far!


	4. A Strange Morning

**Chapter 4: A Strange Morning**

The first sensation Weiss felt upon waking was how incredibly soft everything felt. From the cushiony pillow on which she rested her head, to the fluffy warm blanket she cocooned herself in. Her arms were wrapped around something that reminded her of the long strands of grass that covered the valley of her farm, long enough to weave one’s fingers into and get lost in how each individual strand brushed across the skin. She didn’t want to open her eyes, rather, after the hectic days life had been throwing at her, she was more than content to indulge in the fog of sheer comfort that clouded every inch of her being. As she continued to envelop her hands in every inch of fluffiness offered to her, Weiss halted her assault once she reached a peculiar part of the pillow. It was still soft to the touch but angled upwards to pinnacle of a triangle. _‘Hmm What an oddly shaped pillow.’_ Touching behind it she was greeted by the most adorable whimper as the pillow _pushed_ _towards her_ eager for more of her attentive touch. _‘Wait a minute that’s not right……Where even am I?’_

The heiress finally opened her eye to what enraptured her and out of all the things that it could’ve have been, she did not expect it to be a girl (she had never met mind you) nuzzling into her chest and searching for that touch. Immediately the fencer had alarm bells ringing throughout her system, pushing the offender off her with a piercing scream. That _definitely_ woke Ruby, as she was forced away hovering off the edge of the bed, eyes wide in a panic like a deer in headlights. Instead of the peaceful morning she was hoping to have, the wolf girl started the day of with a slice of hardwood floor as she unceremoniously fell off the bed and immediately face planted.

Weiss could barely hear the groan and muffled ‘ow’ and elongated ‘whyyyyyyyyyy’ of the offending party through her rapid-fire heartbeat that cascaded like thunder in her eardrums. Weiss HQ was still on high alert, taking in the new and unfamiliar surroundings she found herself in. The bed was small but surrounded by a variety of plushies and cushions, the cutest one being a corgi shaped pillow, black and white with a tongue sticking out. The bedroom was merely a corner of what seemed to be a large workshop. On the opposite side was the kitchen and closest to the bed was a workbench piled to the top with meticulously drawn diagrams. However, what caught her eye the most was the metal frame of a Biplane with the only built exterior so far being the left wing of the plane, painted a bright crimson that shone in the morning haze that cascaded from the skylight stretching across the whole ceiling, giving the compact workshop an infinitely spacious feel. Scattered around was a variety of posters of bands she’s never heard of, hanging pot plants (mostly alive) and strings of fairy lights strung across the perimeter. All in all, a homely and cosy take on what was basically a warehouse. 

_‘Okay….so surroundings are decent, albeit not my style. Better than a cell or another stupid drab Airship cabin’_. She looked down at the unkempt figure still with a face full of polished hardwood, yet strangely not bothering to get up.

Weiss, although still rattled by the unfamiliarity of the situation eventually decided to break the silence. “Ummm….And you are???”

Immediately from hearing Weiss speak the pointy wolf ears of the girl twitched to life as the scruffy girl bounced up at breakneck speed, startling Weiss yet again. _‘Brothers! This girl, whoever she is, is definitely bad for my heart’_. Shaking her hair from her face, the wolf Faunus stretched to her pinnacle and yawned loudly, revealing her midriff through her straining tank top (which Weiss definitely did not stare far too long at mind you), welcoming the day with a sigh and a rub of the back of her neck. Despite the objectively bad wake up call, the crimsonette still beamed with a radiant smile worthy of the stars in the sky, gunmetal eyes gleaming with matching excitement. Realizing her mouth was gaped open at the mesmerizing sight, the heiress quickly snapped her jaw shut before those silver eyes turned to her. _‘I’m definitely going to die of a heart attack…might as well start mentally preparing my will.’_

The strange girl stared at Weiss undecided on what was the first step to take, awkwardly shuffling from foot to foot. First, she stretched her arm out in a handshake but as Weiss raised her arm to accept, the wolf girl withdrew her own arm quickly thinking that maybe such an act was a bit too formal for someone her age. The girl once more held her hand out in a ‘fistbump’ which confused Weiss even further, raising an eyebrow at the girl. Two attempts and no dice, Ruby felt like she was going to die from embarrassment. Navigating social situations was never her forte, relying more on her sister to carry the conversation, nodding and smiling along until the conversation drifted to something she could confidently contribute to.

And so, hiding her reddening cheeks behind her ret-tipped hair she settled for an awkward half wave and squeaked, unable to properly maintain the level of her voice or cadence, “Sooooo um HI, my name’s Ruby – **ahem** – Rose! It’s nice to meet you…um…yeah.”

Weiss surprisingly returned with torched cheeks, suffering from second-hand embarrassment but still trying to maintain the piousness engrained in her by her grandfather. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Ruby Rose. My name is Weiss…..” Looking at the girl, the realisation that she was in fact a Schnee finally dawned on her and with that came the plethora of hate and distaste garnered by her father, especially in regards to the hateful relationship with the Faunus (and rightfully so). _‘No, as long as that pitiful excuse for a human being holds the name Schnee, I refuse to label myself that.’_ Instead, she opted for the surname used by her grandfather and sister that she once believed to be her true name, although it still held a deeper connection to her than the bitter after taste left by uttering the name _Schnee_.

Weiss shook the invasive thoughts from her head and continued albeit with a more confused Ruby waiting for the alabaster girl to finish her introduction. “Sorry I was lost in thought….Weiss Snow,” ending the introduction with a small bow of the head.

Weiss could see Ruby bouncing on the soles of her feet ready to burst at the seams with a myriad of questions, but Weiss cut her off with a raised hand not yet ready for the incomprehensible tidal wave. “Ah ah, first off, why was your head buried in my _chest_?”

With the admission Ruby immediately halted and turned the shade of her namesake, attempting to sputter a rebuttal. “Well um you see, I only have one bed and it’s kinda small and – well – I mean I put a pillow between us to not make it weird because you don’t know me and stuff, ah but you kind of kept getting closer to closer to my side until you kinda trapped me on the edge. So, I tried to shift you to the other side, but you ended up hugging me in a vice grip. Didn’t expect you to be a little hug bug! And you were so happy putting your hands through my hair it was kinda awkward, but really soothing and I wasn’t sure what to do but-.”

Truly it wouldn’t be possible for Weiss to get even redder without internally combusting. She needed to halt this now and retain some idea that she had any self-control around pretty girls. “THAT’S ENOUGH – **ahem** ….Ruby, thank you for informing me, I will make sure I won’t be such a hassle next time.” _‘Wait a minute…NEXT TIME?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MEEEE?!’_

Unbeknownst to Weiss’ critical nuclear meltdown, Ruby shook off the apology. “Naah, it’s no biggie! I’m a hugger myself, and I like to think I give _the best_ hugs…well apart from my sister that is, but that’s more of a bear hug if you know what I mean.”

Seeing that Weiss was unresponsive for some unknown reason, the wolf girl concluded that such spacing out was caused by an empty stomach. Who knows the last time that girl ate? Ruby did recall she was a bit _bony_ when her face was smothered with Weiss’...assets.

Throwing her arms up in the air the crimsonette shouted with unbridled enthusiasm, “I know what will fix you right up! FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!! And Ruby’s special today for her esteemed guest is…drum roll please…PANCAKES!!!”

Once again coming out of her Ruby triggered stupor, Weiss graciously accepted the offer. “That sounds lovely Ruby and maybe we can talk a bit more about what happened? I’ve got some blanks that need to be filled and by the looks of it, you’ve got a myriad of questions.”

“Aw yeah food time! Head Chef Rose will have you fixed up in no time!”

___________________________________________________________________________

Placing her knife and fork down after finishing her portion of the admittedly delectable pancakes, Weiss dabbed her lips with a napkin signalling that she was ready to talk. However, it seemed like her host was still shovelling pancakes into her mouth like it was her last meal on Remnant. Ruby’s servings were swimming in unfathomable amounts of syrup, enough that it dribbled off her chin, glistening as it ran past her jawline. Weiss rolled her eyes at the sight. _‘She really doesn’t waste time eating, does she? Doesn’t she care about making a mess of her clothes? Syrup is an incredible pain to get out of one’s clothing. Especially if you mostly wear whites.’_ Without thinking, Weiss, reached over the table to wipe at the edges of the wolf girl’s lips, in slow strokes and only a hint of pressure. As soon as Ruby’s silver eyes locked into contact with the ice blue of Weiss’, the intensity of the stare left her paralysed, unable to remove her thumb from the girl’s lip. With the soft breath Weiss felt dance between her fingers did she realise the sheer intimacy of the gesture _. ‘Oh Brothers, please don’t think I’m weird. All I did was mimic what Winter use to do for me when I was young! Why did I do that? WHYYYYYYY?!’_ Opposite to all the mortally wounding situations dreamed up in Weiss' head, Ruby simply swallowed the syrup river and smiled at the internally screaming girl.

“Awwww thanks Weiss! You’re so sweet and kind!” Ruby giggled and continued, drawing Weiss back to reality, “Yang just laughs at me when I make a mess.”

Ruby took an exaggerated ‘thinking pose’, tapping the side of her cheek before an idea came to mind. “Oh! Do _you_ want _me_ to wipe your lips? Wouldn’t want you to get syrup all over your clothes!”

Weiss immediately responded, “NO – no, its ah okay! I’m fine, thank you Ruby,” looking down at her ragged and stained (and now torn somehow) sundress she continued, “Actually I may need new clothes. Mine are…not in the best shape.”

Ruby jumped up, shaking the table with the abrupt force. “You can borrow mine! My shirt may be a bit large and the jeans a bit long, but you can roll up the pant legs and well I heard wearing a size up top is back in style!”

“Thank you, Ruby. I would really appreciate that.”

Looking back down at herself, something was nagging at the back at her head, that she was missing something important. The crystal was still sitting nicely on her chest, held tightly by its chain. Seeing the callouses on her left hand, did it finally click. _‘Myrtenaster.’_ Weiss began to panic. _‘No no no I can’t lose it!’_ The Rapier was a part of herself, a physical connection to her sister and the one thing she could rely on to defy any adversaries. Her fight on the farm and escape from the Airship being its proving grounds. It had become a necessity to her survival. She needed to know where it was. _Now_.

“Ruby did you see a Rapier when you found me? The design of it is a bit peculiar but I’m _sure_ you would have seen it.”

“Oh you mean the sword you had the rotating dust cylinder and trigger mechanism? It’s so coooool! But its blade was _rough_ , so I polished it when I took you back to my workshop. Wait, I’ll grab it for you, I need to get something as well. Also, I changed the bandage on your eye, it was looking kinda old when I found you.”

As she touched her bandaged eye and felt the soft texture, Weiss was needless to say, quite surprised. _‘Not only did she find it, but she knew exactly how it worked and sharpened it. She even went through the trouble of changed my bandage and she wrapped it so well! Who exactly is this girl?’_ Caught up in how sudden everything was the heiress didn’t even ask the girl about herself or even where she ended up, far too enveloped in the welcoming aura the wolf Faunus exuded as easy and as automated as breathing.

“How do you so much about this stuff? And while I still remember, where exactly am I?”

Ruby went wide eyed at the question, “Oh shoot I completely forgot!”

The energetic girl stood straight and puffed her chest out as if preparing for a triumphant speech, “Welcome to the mining town of Patch! Population: three-hundred and mostly boring, sprinkled in with some casual racism and some honestly great people…mostly Pyrrha, Jaune, most of the miners – one of them being me – and my family. All and all, a place I want to get out of!”

Weiss wasn’t sure how to respond to that, she had never even heard of this town before. “Um, sounds……..quaint?”

“Eh honestly it could be worse, but I know my fortune lies elsewhere.”

Ruby pointed to her magnum opus. “This Biplane is Crescent Rose! My pièce de résistance.” She walked up to the plane, softly touching its bright red wing, in a gesture full of hope. “I’m going to take my baby to the skies and find Atlas.”

Her silver eyes hardened into iron as she gazed upon a photo. The moment captured in time was framed as the centrepiece of the workshop, a monument to her dreams. Weiss wondered why such a picture elicited such strong emotions in the girl, but there was something oddly mystical about it, as if it held the fantasies of many. Within the photo was a large castle with great white marble walls, shining in the thunderstorm that enraptured half of the frame. A jewel of desire barely visible in a torrent of clouds and thunder. A sigh escaped the wolf girl, but before Weiss could even utter a word, a smile had been placed upon the crimsonette’s mask, removing the tense atmosphere, albeit falsely.

“Oh you want to come and see my doves? I forgot to feed them and play for them.”

 _‘Play **for** them?’_ Weiss didn’t even have a chance to answer before the girl was already bouncing on her heels bound for the staircase that spiralled to a ceiling hatch.

___________________________________________________________________________

Following Ruby, Weiss stepped out onto the rooftop and was immediately greeted by large bird cages housing the most pristinely white doves she had ever laid eyes on, as they basked in each other’s company amidst the shade of the small tin roofing. Sitting next to the cage was an acoustic guitar and with the evident shine of freshly polished wood, she could tell it was well looked after ‘ _much like grandfather’s_ ’. As Ruby undid the latch the doves bustled out in a flurry of coos and battering wings, eager to feel the morning breeze graze their feathers.

Ruby yelled after them with glee, “Fly my pretties!”

As they flew in formation around the workshop and down to the town, Ruby grabbed the guitar, tuned it and smiled at Weiss. “My mum used to sing songs to me about heroes that would defend the people against scary monsters. I used to be scared of the dark when I was younger, so she would tell me stories of a huntress that faced the forces of darkness with nothing but her wits and a scythe, holding the front line for humanity. Whenever I felt scared, I would think about that story and how much I wanted to be like that huntress. After that I was never afraid of the dark again.”

And so Ruby began to play, singing along as her fingers strummed and plucked the strings, carefree and controlled. The performance _mesmerised_ Weiss, as she felt her breath slip away from the harmony of Ruby’s voice with the sound of the guitar. She clutched her necklace. The moment felt so surreal, as memories from when her grandfather would sing tunes and play his guitar telling ballads and myths of their ancestry intertwined with the scene. Knights in fields of snow adorned in gleaming armour. Technology beyond one’s wildest imagination. The connection to earth and stone that was at the core of their lineage and how some refuted such deep held beliefs for paradise in the sky. ‘ _Atlesia, a story of how ambition and destruction exist on a fault line.'_

Finishing her performance the doves return for their flight and gathered around Ruby, as she reached into her pockets for a small paper bag filled with breadcrumbs. The birds fluttered in excitement, eager for their breakfast. Instead of immediately feeding them, Ruby walked up to Weiss and placed the breadcrumbs in her palm.

“Why don’t you feed them? They love visitors!”

At lightning speed, the birds ambushed Weiss. She was cornered by their voracious appetite only able to hold out her hands as the doves went rampant. The flutter of wings and ticklish feathers drew laughter from the pair as Weiss struggled to contain herself, whilst her red counterpart didn’t even attempt to stifle her laugh. As the doves finally took their rest back in their cage, Ruby’s attention was drawn to Weiss’ hands softly grasping at her necklace as she stared out to the clouds in a daze, thoughts far off from Patch. Her eyes were forlorn, a tinge of sadness evident in how they dulled.

Obviously, this meant that Ruby had to lighten the mood (and why not ask a question she’s been dying to ask?). “Hey Weiss, craaaaaaazy question. Um, are you…how do I put this? Ahhh I’ll just say it! Are you an Angel?”

Weiss just stared at the wolf girl like she had grown another set of ears. “Ummmmm no? I don’t have wings or a halo or anything.” _‘Hang on, is she flirting with me?’_

Weiss quickly rebounded albeit with a tint of red on her cheeks. “Well, if you think I’m an Angel well that’s ah – very flattering.”

“You are really pretty but I meant like literally, ‘cause you kinda fell from the sky following a trail of snowflakes when I found you and that crystal on your necklace you have was glowing like crazy!”

Weiss hid her sheer disappointment well. “Oh”, _‘Hit and a miss’_ , “Well the last thing I remember was being on an Airship when we got attacked by Sky Pirates that were after my me. Apart from that, everything is just kind of…blank.”

“You don’t need to worry about Sky Pirates here! Basically, nobody ever comes to Patch. I’ve known the same people – apart from Pyrrha – since I was born. It’s soooooooo booooooring.”

Ruby once again took on her great thinker pose, tapping her chin this time before speaking. “Can I have your necklace for a second? I promise I won’t break it or anything! I just have a theory I want to test.”

Weiss contemplated the proposal. _‘This necklace is akin to my own flesh in its importance, but I can’t help but trust this hyperactive girl. She did give me a place to rest AND made me breakfast, the least I could do is indulge her curiosity.’_

Weiss handed Ruby the necklace. “Ok just um be careful, it’s very important to me.”

Ruby just smiled whilst doing the clasp around the neck, holding the crystal firmly against her. And then, with a running start she jumped off the side of the rooftop yelling, “I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch th-.” She would have finished her song if she didn’t take a face full of the tin roofing that covered the pathway leading out of the workshop, rolling painfully into the grass below. Again, falling face first.

Needless to say, Weiss freaked out, partly afraid that Ruby had badly injured herself and partly confused as to why the hell she thought it was a good idea to jump off a _roof_.

“RUUUUUBY! Are you okay?! Give me a second, I’m coming down!” Weiss decided to slide down the tin roofing to get to Ruby as quickly as possible. As soon as Ruby was starting to pull herself up from the ground, she was the sole recipient of Weiss’ entire weight as the fencer lost her footing and fell directly on top of the wolf Faunus. At least unlike Ruby, she had a far softer landing.

The muffled words of Ruby could be faintly heard, “Existence…is…pain.”

Quickly scurrying off of Ruby, Weiss pulled the crimsonette off the ground, concern and guilt evident in the creases of her brow. “I’m so sorry Ruby. Are you okay?”

Ruby gave Weiss a thumbs up, a testament to how hard her skull must be. “All good, except for my pride.”

“Oh…good.”

Sadly, for Ruby that wasn’t the end of her pain as she was then forced to endure a sharp flick to the forehead and even sharper words from Weiss. “Ruby you absolute dolt! What were you thinking? It’s like you are trying to die and cause me a heart attack in the process!”

The wolf girl’s ears flattened down and became buried in her unkempt hair, pulling at Weiss’ already strained heart strings.

The heiress sighed, “I’m just worried Ruby okay? Don’t do that again please. Look I know you said I floated down, and my crystal glowed, and I believe you I really do! I mean one second I was on an Airship and the next I’m here, so I did fall but we don’t know what happened yet, it’s not worth injuring yourself over what we don’t understand, okay? Let’s go back in and get cleaned up. I would very much like to be in new clothes, courtesy of my new friend Ruby.”

Such a heart-warming statement brought the brightest smile yet out of Ruby, bringing her excitement back to her average of ten out of ten. “Alriiiight! It’s time for a Ruby style makeover for the lovely Weiss!”

___________________________________________________________________________

Ruby leaned idly on her workbench, waited for Weiss to reveal herself in her new attire. Ruby herself was wearing her usual day off get up; jeans torn from overuse, and a red t-shirt. Weiss came out from the bathroom, freshly showered and relaxed, but what really caught Ruby’s eye was how enrapturing it was to see the alabaster girl wearing one of _her_ shirts and jeans.

The black button up (courtesy of a gift from Yang believing Ruby should own some ‘smarter’ looking clothes) fit slightly loose on the smaller girl and the jeans had to be rolled up to the ankles, but to Ruby it was perfect. Who would have thought that clothes meant for herself would look so _right_ on Weiss? Weiss on her part, shuffled her feet nervously under the intense gaze of Ruby.

“So…does it look okay?”

‘ _More than okay.’_ Ruby nodded almost robotically still unable to fully compute the sight before her. “Yeah! You look great, it really suits you.”

Tucking a couple a few stray hairs behind her ear, Weiss smiled wonderfully at the compliment. A roar of an engine broke the moment as Ruby looked out the window to see the cause of the sudden ruckus. Outside was a four-wheel drive with an open roof, showcasing its driver and passenger, a blonde monkey Faunus and a tall blue haired man adorning a rather expensive red leather jacket. _‘Strange, there aren’t many people who own cars in this town and I’ve certainly never seen these guys before.’_

Weiss peered out beside Ruby and gasped, holding her hand to her mouth and clutching her crystal until her knuckles turned white. She was being hunted.


End file.
